Once and for all.....Did Sonny Liston take a dive or not?

[La_Vibora]

For years it has been argued that for whatever reason, whether it being that Liston knew he couldn't beat Ali, or he was influenced by the mob, etc that he had taken a dive in their rematch against one another. Others argue that Ali just hit him with a well timed shot. You guys be the judge:



What do you guys think?

[!! AI-Holmes!!]

The invisible punch, I see Ali land a right after that lazy jab by Liston. I don't see a devastating punch but..who knows.

[deliveryman]

Well-timed right hand that looks like it landed right on the chin.

If they had alternate camera angles then like we do now, it'd show that it was a much harder / cleaner / accurate punch than what we see from that clip.

For example: The right hand that Klitchko landed on Byrd that KO'd him in their rematch, from one angle it looked like it was nothing but a tap, but another it showed how devastating that right hand actually was.

[LOLORSKATES]

He did. He had an interview a few years after it and when the person interviewing asked him, if he took a dive against Ali it took him a while to get it out and he said he was paid to take the dive..

[LOLORSKATES]

Also, Ali was even telling him to get up and the punch didn't hurt him..

[deliveryman]

He did. He had an interview a few years after it and when the person interviewing asked him, if he took a dive against Ali it took him a while to get it out and he said he was paid to take the dive..

If that's the case, Liston should be banished from the Hall of Fame and is an absolute disgrace to the sport.

[LOLORSKATES]

If that's the case, Liston should be banished from the Hall of Fame and is an absolute disgrace to the sport.

Yeah it is a shame about that happening to him, but it was his choice and I guess he had no regards for himself and the sport..

[butterfly1964]

Yes, he did.

[jack_the_rippuh]

My grandmother could've took that shot.
Liston took a dive.

[RastaSmoker]

if he was going to take a one dont you think he would do it on a more convincing punch. If he was trying to take a dive he would know that no one would buy the way that one looked. So if you asked me it just happened to be a wild perfectly lucky timed shot